Emperor Chongzhen was too extreme.

Chapter 61 Killing is just a means

"Yes!"

The guards of the Divine Might Battalion, who were standing to the side waiting respectfully, answered loudly.

Immediately afterwards, a squad of black-clad guards rushed out and charged toward the dozen or so Tongguan County officials who were seated in the first row of the courtroom.

These officials didn't realize it at first.

What did the Emperor say? What first row? What did he mean by "stripped"?!

It wasn't until the iron-like hands gripped their bodies that they realized the Emperor meant to dismember them!

Under the extreme threat of death, the officials in the first row were instantly terrified.

This is an emperor who, after only a month on the throne, could take thousands of people out of the capital. If he said he would have himself cut into pieces, then he would definitely be cut into pieces.

Those with a bit more courage might even kowtow and beg for mercy, while the less timid would be so frightened by those seemingly casual words that they soiled their crotches.

But the pleas for mercy inside the courtroom lasted only a few breaths.

These people were then dragged out by the expressionless, murderous guards of the Divine Might Camp.

Soon after, a shrill scream came from outside.

The screams outside made the remaining officials kneeling in the courtroom and courtyard tremble.

They still did not understand what the emperor, who had personally come to Tongguan, wanted to do.

But it was this ruthless method that terrified everyone.

Zhu Youjian sat in his chair, looking indifferently at the trembling officials below, his face still expressionless.

for him.

All the officials in Tongguan City will die.

Whether there were any wrongful or unjust killings is not important.

Because he killed these people not out of revenge or anything else.

Murder was merely a means to an end; the real purpose was to divert attention from the conflict.

From the moment he saw the refugees kneeling on the riverbank.

He knew clearly that if he wanted to save Shaanxi, the only way was to purge all the officials and gentry.

Tongguan is located on the banks of the Yellow River and is also a key transportation hub with a developed economy and abundant food supplies.
If large numbers of refugees can be found in this area, one can only imagine what other places are like.

Amidst a chorus of piercing screams, Zhu Youjian spoke again.

He looked at the people kneeling in the second row who were trembling uncontrollably, and said calmly, "Tell me in detail how the officials in Tongguan City colluded with the local gentry."

Hear this.

Those officials in the second row who were lucky enough not to be called on had no time to think about anything else.

Overwhelmed by immense fear of death, someone immediately spoke up, trembling: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the county magistrate, the county assistant, and the city..."

Before long, he named several prominent families from the county.

It also details how the county magistrate colluded with these gentry over the years to wreak havoc on the region.

Although it only takes a little thought.

I knew that these people must have been involved in all of this.

But when faced with the threat of death, who can care about that?
The heart-wrenching screams outside were incessant.

People tend to have a sense of wishful thinking.

Moreover, in such a terrifying and desperate situation, the desire to get away with something is amplified to an extreme degree.

The crowd's brains were no longer capable of processing much thought.

Everyone had only one thought in their minds right now:
If they tell everyone what happened and shift all the blame onto the county magistrate and other officials, they might be able to survive.

The official in front was speaking.

The kneeling clerk behind them suddenly interrupted them in a trembling voice:

"Your Majesty, they were involved in the corruption and illegal activities you just described!"

"Your Majesty, please give me a chance! I know I was wrong!! When I return, I am willing to donate all my family's wealth to help the people! I will never again do anything to disturb the peace!!"

This statement came out.

The crowd, already gripped by panic, instantly erupted into chaos, losing their last shred of reason.

"You are in me, and I am in you"—this was their way of survival. The vast majority of the officials present came from prominent gentry families in the county.

but now.

Only by stepping on the lives of others can one possibly carve out a way to survive.

And so, the group began tearing at each other like a pack of mad dogs.

of course.

The biting was only verbal; physically, they knelt on the ground, not daring to move an inch.

Fearing that any movement might disturb the emperor's presence, they would be instantly killed on the spot by the ruthless guards standing on either side.

The county government office instantly descended into chaos.

Watching the dogs fight below, Zhu Youjian calmly walked away.

And all the accusations and attacks that people were making against each other were quickly recorded by the prepared clerks.

at the same time.

The makeshift execution ground outside the county government office was also surrounded by onlookers.

In the beginning, even with such an eye-catching spectacle as live dismemberment, not many people dared to watch it.

After all, the Emperor was currently residing in the county government office; who would dare to approach him so recklessly?

But as those who were spying gradually realized that the guards beside them did not seem to have any intention of driving them away or stopping them, they began to realize that the guards were not going to stop them.

They were a bit bolder and got a little closer.

This was, of course, what Zhu Youjian intended.

If the target group doesn't personally attend the scene when trying to shift the blame, how can the best results be achieved?
Soon, the scene of the execution by slow slicing was surrounded by layers upon layers of people.

And with each slicing motion, the surrounding crowd would raise their arms and shout "Bravo!"

There is no other reason.

The poorer and more backward a place is, the more intense the conflict between officials and the people becomes.

Because resources are limited here.

If a small minority prospers, then the majority of the rest will suffer.

The food, clothing, housing, and transportation of officials can be said to be entirely derived from their own relentless exploitation.

So how could the people not feel relieved seeing the officials of Tongguan County being slowly sliced ​​to death?
However, human nature is extremely complex.

Although the vast majority of people applauded it.

However, a small number of people still felt sorry for the magistrate as his flesh was being cut away piece by piece.

For example, several refugees who had just eaten porridge in the charity hall.

"Didn't the magistrate just say that he would uphold justice for us from now on? Why did the Emperor suddenly kill him?"

The refugees were naturally surrounded by other refugees fleeing famine together.

However, after hearing the men's mutterings, the refugees quickly distanced themselves from them.

Many people say that farmers are greedy, cunning, and despicable.
But most of them understand one thing.

They only get to eat when the emperor arrives.

If the emperor doesn't come, they'll soon become his food.

It's not good to act like a servant and even have a set of rules.

at the same time.

The image of the emperor in people's minds has begun to change.

Leaving aside other places...

In Tongguan County today, especially in the hearts of those displaced people who have finally had a full meal.

The emperors of the past were fictional and unrealistic.

Although people often shout "Long live the emperor!", everyone knows that's impossible.

But now the image of the emperor has become more concrete in people's minds.

If the emperor feeds them well, then the emperor is their savior.

(End of this chapter)